Red-crowned crane

(Grus japonensis)

Facts

IUCN ENDANGERED (EN)

Facts about this animal

They have bright white bodies with black necks and wing feathers, forehead and crown are covered with bare red skin. They have a long olive-green or greenish-horn bill and long grayish-black legs. Males and females are alike in appearance, although males tend to be slightly larger in size. They stand about 1.5 m tall, with an average 7-10 kg in weight and a wing span of about 2.5 m.

Did you know?
that the Red-crowned cranes form lifelong breeding pairs and return to the same nest site year after year? They use very elaborate dances for courting and communication between each other.

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

Why do zoos keep this animal

The red-crowned crane is an endangered species with a relatively small wild population. An International Studbook has been established in 1971, and four regions operate coordinated ex situ conservation breeding programmes resulting in a zoo population corresponding to about one-third of the wild population.